Love? Or You?
by Soft Ripple
Summary: How do you choose between the one you know loves you and the one you want above everything else? Especially when you're trusted with a huge secret. Will a certain prince and his bodyguard cause mayhem? And will Bella get caught up in all of it?
1. Chapter 1: Adventures

**I don't own Twilight. Just remember that. This is my first fanfic in a while so please be gentle with me because I am quite sensitive. Review please. **

**Chapter One: Adventures**

"Goodbye Bells." Charlie said as he hugged me tightly.

"Bye dad." I replied back as I returned his hug.

It was the first day of the new school year. My first day at Oceanside School. My first day at my first boarding school ever. Oceanside school was hours away from my home with Charlie in Forks. And that was probably why I had been so fired up to come here. It wasn't that I didn't love Charlie. I did. I wasn't particularly thrilled at the thought of leaving him. It was leaving someone else that made Oceanside school so appealing. But I was not going to get into that now.

"Are you sure you really want to do this?" Charlie asked me worriedly and maybe a little hopefully. I guess he was still hoping that I would change my mind. But that was never going to happen. At least not in this lifetime.

"Dad, we talked about this. I am absolutely and completely one hundred percent sure that I want to do this. Besides, you can't expect me to change my mind when I'm already here in California." I told him, just barely restraining myself from squealing out the last word.

California. I was really here! I gazed about me with sparkling eyes. Okay, so right now I couldn't see anything wondrous whilst standing on the grey pavement outside the school building where hundreds of students milled around in huge jostling crowds as they bade their parents goodbye and were reunited with friends they hadn't seen since the last school year. But the blazing light of the Californian sun falling on the rippling waves of the blue ocean seemed reason enough for leaving Charlie and everything and everyone else I loved behind in Forks. I could hardly wait to get inside. There was even (supposedly) a swimming pool inside the school, though why the school would need a swimming pool when there was a beautiful beach complete with an enchanting ocean just five minutes away was beyond me.

"Okay, Bella. Call me soon." Charlie instructed me sternly as he hugged me one final time. (At least I hoped it was for the final time.)

I just about managed to refrain from rolling my eyes as I hugged him back. I was really eager to get inside. I wanted to go see my dorm room! Hell, I wanted to go and see the whole school!

"Are you sure you don't want me to help you with your bags?" Charlie asked me.

I looked down at the pile of bags on the ground. I wasn't shallow. Not one bit. I didn't care about my appearance. But I was going to be living here so I had packed about everything there was in my room which meant that my luggage had piled up considerably.

I scrutinised the pile of bags, biting my lips as I did so. I had a tendency to trip about fifteen hundred times in less than five minutes and I had a feeling that that applied to stairs, on second thoughts, especially stairs. Looking up at the school and remembering the brochure about the school that I had stuffed somewhere in the recesses of my rucksack I knew that there were going to be stairs. Try three floors worth of stairs.

I didn't need to be physic to be able to see _that_ journey clearly in my head. And what I saw was me falling down the stairs. A lot.

"Sure. Some help would be great." I told Charlie gratefully.

Charlie reached down to pick up two of the heaviest bags whilst I attempted to pick up the next heaviest which turned out to be quite heavy. Actually, very heavy. I wasn't sure what I had packed in there but I staggered under the weight.

Charlie raised his eyebrows as I dropped the bag and massaged my shoulders. "Easy Bella. I'll take that one as soon as I've got this lot up."

"No. It's fine. I just…tripped over a shoelace." I fabricated with less than amateurish skills.

"Might want to tie that then." Charlie responded sceptically. Did I mention how bad a liar I was?

"Right." I hastily agreed.

I bent down to tie the imaginary 'shoelace' before standing up again and making another attempt at lifting the rock heavy bag. This time when I endeavoured to hoist the bag over my shoulder I didn't stagger. Oh no, this time I didn't stagger because when I hoisted it over my shoulder I exerted a little too much strength and force into the action which caused the bag to slide out of my fingertips… and go flying over my shoulder.

"Oh!" I gasped.

"OW!" I heard someone howl from somewhere behind me.

I whirled around to see my bag soar through the air…and into someone's face. They jerked backwards from the impact of the blow as my bag crashed into their face and then they went toppling to the ground where they fell in an untidy heap.

"Oh!" I gasped again before I went into a sprint towards the victim of my thuggish bag.

"Are you alright?" I enquired worriedly as I skidded to an ungraceful halt by the person's side.

I got only a pained groan in response before a pale hand with long pale fingers reached out and removed my bag from their face. I bent down to help the poor victim as the straps had somehow gotten tangled in his or her hair but before I could help them my bag disappeared completely to reveal the angelic face of a god.

I just barely bit back a gasp as two ponds of emerald green connected with my eyes. When I had eventually recovered from the devastation those green orbs had caused to my heart I then allowed my eyes to sweep over the rest of him. He had tousled hair that looked satin soft and was a reddish brown colour that gleamed bronze in the blazing sun, and his perfect face looked like it had been carved from the hand of a Greek god.

He sat up and leaned back on his arms which made his triceps bulge appealingly. I hoped I wasn't drooling.

"I'm fine." He said in a musical voice that was most likely composed from velvet notes and which made my knees melt.

"But would you happen to know whose bag this is that had just attacked me?" The godlike creature before me asked, bringing me back down to Earth.

My cheeks felt like they were being baked in an oven as his question finally got through to me.

"Um…yeah. It's kind of mine." I answered wishing the Earth would swallow me up right there and then.

A crooked smile blessed his face and I felt my heart hiccup as my stomach did somersaults. "Kind of yours? Did you steal it from someone then? Or do you share its custody with someone else?"

My cheeks flamed a vibrant crimson that would most definitely have put any fire engine to shame. "Um…no. It is actually mine."

He laughed. A wonderful warm, heart-melting laugh that made my heart feel like a puddle of maple syrup and made me want to sigh and record his laugh on to CD so that I could listen to it again and again.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for my bag to attack you." I apologised sheepishly.

"Don't worry. I survived." He chuckled.

He stood up, lifting my bag with him as easily as if it were nothing but a bag of feathers. I also stood up. When standing up I saw that he was just over six foot and towered over me with a defined physique that made me feel quite weak. He was wearing dark faded jeans that fit him in all the right places with a green button down shirt that made his already bold eyes stand out even more so that it was near impossible for me to look away from them.

"Wow, this bag certainly hurt." He told me dryly. "I hope I don't wake up tomorrow with a bruise."

I hoped the same along with him. It certainly would be a tragedy if his gorgeous face was marred by a bruise caused by my demon luggage.

"I'm Edward Cullen." He introduced himself, extending one of his hands for me to shake.

"Isabella Swan but I prefer Bella." I told him, taking his hand. It was warm and his touch sent shivers of electricity zinging through my entire body.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Bella." Edward told me, still holding my hand. I didn't want him to ever let go.

We stared silently at each other for a couple more minutes before he let my hand drop to my side. I tried to quell the disappointment that raced through me but it was hard work.

"Would you like me to help you with your luggage? I wouldn't want you to go attacking more innocent bystanders." Edward said to me with that devastatingly adorable crooked smile.

It took a couple of seconds for his words to register through the dreamy daze his smile lulled me into and when it finally got through to me I blushed.

"I wouldn't…but...I can't…I…" I spluttered incoherently. I blushed at my sudden inability to speak comprehendingly. This guy got to me like no one else did and I wasn't sure I liked it. The prospect of acting like an idiot for the foreseeable future was not one that appealed to me but was one that was certainly going to be quite probable with Edward around.

Edward laughed _that _laugh again. The one that seemed to make me forget who, what, and where I was. "Tell me Bella. Are you always this articulate?" He asked in an amused voice that managed to sound like another laugh.

I blushed again before saying in a quiet, subdued voice "I would appreciate it very much if you helped me with my luggage but I think my dad has got that covered. He's around here somewhere."

I looked around, more as an excuse to look away from Edward who with each passing minute made me feel more and more flustered. I finally found Charlie still standing where I had left him a while ago. He met my eyes and then burst into a fit of laughing guffaws. I knew what he was laughing at. No doubt he found it hilarious that his only daughter had made a complete fool of herself in front of the most gorgeous being to have ever walked this Earth by first assaulting his face with her luggage, and then continuing to act like an absolute idiot after that.

I glared at him but he proceeded with laughing his head off. I turned back to Edward who was still looking at me with a great deal of amusement.

"I'm in room 101." I told him.

I did not feel very much like being laughed at by my own father, thank you very much, which was the only reason why I was accepting Edward's offer. Alright, alright. I'll admit it. I was accepting Edward's offer because he was drop dead gorgeous.

"Lead the way." Edward told me.

Cue: Bella blushing as red as a traffic light. "Um…I actually don't know where my dorm room is. Today's my first day here."

Edward grinned lopsidedly as he responded somewhat sheepishly "Aah, well then, I guess we have a problem because today is my first day here too so I don't exactly know where I'm going either."

I sighed. "Damn. So what do we do now?"

Edward's grin widened and as a result my heart had gone from hiccupping to full on giggling. "I was hoping you could answer that question." He told me with an abashed shrug.

It was at this point that Charlie came sauntering up to us with the rest of my bags.

"You alright Bells?" He asked good-naturedly. Then he saw Edward and he grinned as he asked in a jovial tone "You the one Bella knocked over with her bag then?"

The corners of Edward's mouth twitched before he replied in a tone that matched Charlie's light-hearted one "Yes I am. Edward Cullen. Pleased to make your acquaintance sir."

"Charlie Swan." Charlie said, shaking Edward's hand. "Edward, you wouldn't happen to know where room 101 is, would you?" Charlie enquired.

"He doesn't." I muttered.

"Mr. Swan. If it's alright with you I would be happy to escort your daughter to her room and help her with her luggage. I promise I won't let anything happen to her."

Well, to be honest, I couldn't see what could possibly happen to me on my way to the front entrance of the school. Also, I thought Edward had just confessed that he had no idea of where he was going so I couldn't see how he could escort me anywhere. But I didn't voice out any of this as it meant that I would get to spend more time with Edward which in case you hadn't figured out was a good thing. On second thoughts, maybe it wasn't such a good thing as all I seemed to be able to do when I was around Edward was completely mortify myself.

"That would be great Edward. Thanks a lot." Charlie gushed appreciatively, dropping all my luggage on to the floor before massaging his shoulders. Huh, I guess hulling my luggage along wasn't "no problem" for him after all.

Edward smiled graciously at both of us before saying in a humbled tone "I'll give you two a minute alone."

Then before I could tell him that Charlie and I had already exchanged our farewells he walked away until he was well out of earshot.

Charlie turned to me with a sombre expression before he enveloped me with yet _another_ hug. It wasn't that I had any problem with hugging Charlie. I suppose I just had a bit of a problem hugging anyone after…what happened.

"Bye Bells. Take care of yourself." Charlie told me a little gruffly.

"I will. Don't worry dad. I love you." I told him suddenly feeling a little tearful. I had never been so far away from Charlie. Who was going to cook for him now?

Charlie finally released me before giving me a small smile. I smiled back before he walked away, leaving me alone in my new school. My new life.

Edward reappeared by my side a little while later. "Ready?" He asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be." I told him with a little smile.

He smiled back before saying "Okay let's go then."

"Even though you have no idea where you're going?" I questioned wryly.

"It's called embarking on an adventure, Bella." Edward told me with a wink.

I smiled at him before following him into the school on his so called 'adventure' but I guess I knew even then that I would be willing to go on any adventure with Edward, no matter what the circumstances. But nothing could have prepared me for the adventure I was to embark on later on. And I was soon to learn that the circumstances of that adventure would matter very much.

**Well? What did you think? Like it? Love it? Hate it? You know how to tell me. The button's right there. See it? I certainly hope so. In basic words that actually make sense, I'm asking you to please review. **


	2. Chapter 2: A Good View?

**Okay I am not going to beg, complain, threaten, lose my temper, or go psycho-maniac over the lack of reviews I got last chapter but…**

**DO YOU NOT KNOW HOW INFURIATING IT IS THAT I ONLY GOT A PATHETIC NUMBER OF SIX REVIEWS FOR A CHAPTER THAT I ACTUALLY ENJOYED WRITING AND WAS ACTUALLY PROUD OF? HOW MUCH I WANT TO SHARE MY IDEAS WITH YOU PEOPLE? DO YOU NOT KNOW HOW RARE IT IS THAT I GET PROUD OF WHAT I HAVE PUBLISHED? (Well, actually you probably don't but just forget about that technicality and focus on the rest.)**

**IT MIGHT BE STUPID TO GET SO TEMPERRATIONAL OVER REVIEWS BUT IT MATTERS TO ME! SO CAN YOU PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW OTHERWISE I WILL TRACK YOU DOWN AND PELT YOUR FACE WITH MY KEYBOARD UNTIL YOU CAN HARDLY PUKE!**

**There, I think I handled that pretty well. Don't you? Please review. Oh and I own nothing here but the plot and the one or two odd characters that I made up. All things Twilight belong solely to Stephenie Meyer. **

**Chapter Two: A Good View? **

"Here you go. Room 101." Jasper, our guide and saviour told us as he held the door open for us.

Jasper Whitlock was a tall, leonine guy with honey blonde hair and ice blue eyes. Edward and I had been wandering aimlessly around the entire campus for at least a good two hours, hopelessly lost, before we finally had a breakthrough in the form of our discovery of Jasper.

It had been fun walking with Edward without a clue as to where we were going. At first. Oh don't get me wrong. Edward was as wonderful in personality as he was in looks. He was a true gentleman, not letting me burden myself with more than my reasonably light rucksack whilst he lugged about five of my bags with him despite my protests. He had ignored all my requests to be permitted to relieve him of even _one _bag and had instead questioned me about my childhood, my family, my likes and dislikes in an amiable and easy-going manner.

It wasn't until the baking hot Californian sun intensified in its heat until the pavement seemed to burn through my shoes and scald my feet, so that it felt like I was walking across the scorching sands of a parched, sweltering hot desert that the adventure didn't seem so appealing anymore. Though Edward's forehead had been beaded with sweat and he must have been suffering more than I had been as he had been carrying some of his own bags along with most of mine, he had trudged on like a warrior with a determined smile whilst narrating to me tales of his experiences in the Sahara deserts.

He had been a good storyteller, making me laugh and smile as he entranced me with his stories and his voice. Mostly his voice. I would've been just as enchanted by his voice if he had been explaining to me all the laws of physics or something just as tedious. But of course Edward could never be boring.

Eventually though even Edward's stories hadn't been enough to brighten our torturous pointless wander around the blisteringly hot campus. My throat had soon started to burn with painful thirst and my head had started to spin with the dehydration. It hadn't been until I had started stumbling every few steps due to my fatigue that Edward had conceded that it was about time we had asked for directions.

It had been at that point that we had been passing by Jasper so of course it had been natural that we had intercepted him and had asked him ever so politely if he knew where room 101 was. Jasper had responded that he did and that he believed his girlfriend lived in that vicinity and was just on his way there and that he would be perfectly happy to escort us there.

Which was how the three of us had ended up here. In room 101. I gazed about me in wonder. At my new room. It appeared that my room mate had already arrived as there was a huge pile of suitcases stacked up in an untidy pile on one of the beds. Though they varied in shape and size they were all a lovely pale baby pink colour. It was apparent even without counting that my new roommate most obviously had more bags than I had. A lot more.

An amused chuckle from behind me told that Edward had deduced the same thing. However, I was still too immersed in my surroundings that for the first time that afternoon my mind was not completely overwhelmed with Edward.

The walls of my new room were a soft sky blue colour that seemed to immediately relax me, there were two single beds aligned together by the far wall; the covers were a lovely blue colour that were just a shade darker than the paint of the walls and had cobalt blue spirals patterned onto the covers, there was a small white wooden desk pushed right back against the corner of the room furthest from the beds, a brand new, high-tech, advanced silver laptop rested on the glass surface of the desk, a light seemed to shine of the top of laptop, winking welcomingly at me as I stared.

There was a dark mahogany door leaning back into the wall not too far away from the beds which I could only assume opened up into a huge closet. But what really held my attention was the high ledge of the immense bay window directly across the door on the other side of the room. Even from where I was standing, which was only a few steps ahead of where Jasper and Edward stood in front of the door I could see that there was a balcony with black painted rails and bars jutting out from the exterior of the building.

I inhaled sharply, trying to contain my excitement. But as I walked across the room towards the large window, despite attempting to hide my joy I think my happiness radiated from me in glowing waves that seemed to add a sprightly bounce to my walk so that I was almost skipping as I drew closer to the bay window in my new room. I looked out the window and saw that I had an exquisite and perfectly clear view of the sea. It sparkled and rippled elegantly under the baking sun which cast golden reflections of its heated light across the shimmering glass surface of the vast expanses of the sea, almost as if it were doing a peaceful and graceful dance just to welcome me into this beautiful paradise called California.

"Great view, huh?" A voice beside me said, making me jump about three miles into the air.

When my heart had finally slowed its accelerated race down enough I turned my head to see Jasper smiling expectantly at me.

"Yeah. It's beautiful." I breathed.

I turned around searchingly, expecting to see that Edward had already left, discarding my bags as soon as he saw that I was settled into my room. The thought sent a sharp, stinging slash of pain across my heart but I soon saw that there was no need to fret as Edward was still standing, unmoved at the door. He had been so quiet since we had turned the corner of the hallway and had arrived in my dorm.

When his eyes met mine Edward flashed his crooked smile that I knew by now would never cease to send my heart into a frenzied race of turmoil.

"Balcony and sea view? Not bad Swan. Not bad at all." He commented pleasantly.

I grinned happily at him as I replied "I know. Back in Forks I had just had a small room with a window that looked out over my driveway and creaked real loud every time I tried to open it. I had always just hoped that eventually I'd get a window that didn't creak but it looks like I got even luckier than I ever thought I would."

His smile widened as he remarked with just a hint of a teasing tone "I guess you must've been born under a lucky star."

I grinned back at him as I agreed "Maybe."

But I failed to mention that I must have been born under a lucky star because there was no other way I could have been lucky enough to stumble upon him as I did not think that that would have been at all sensible to do. After all, I didn't want to scare him and show him just yet how much of a lunatic I was.

"Where shall I leave your bags?" Edward asked me.

"Um…" I said thoughtfully "Just leave them there on that bed. I think it's already clear which bed my new room mate wants."

Edward approached the bed and dumped my bags there. I watched fascinated as the muscles in his back flexed and rippled through the material of his shirt as he removed some of my bags that he had slung over his back. He dumped them there and stood erect to face me. I dropped my eyes to the floor as a light blush coloured my cheeks as shame and embarrassment swept through me as I thought of how I had been gawping at Edward. Edward who I had only just met today less than a couple of hours ago.

"Well, I guess I'll see you around." Edward told me as he turned as though about to leave.

"What? Do you have to go already?"

The words burst through my lips before I could take them back. They sounded disappointed and desperate even to my own ears. Gosh Bella pine after the guy even before he's left, why don't you? I coughed to hide my mortification, conscious that Jasper who was also technically a stranger to me was in the room, here to witness my humiliation.

Edward's smile was gentle as he told me in a self-explanatory voice "Yes I'm afraid so. I really do have to go. There's quite a lot I have to do."

"Oh. Well. Thanks for helping me with my luggage." I told him uncomfortably.

"It was my pleasure. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting you today Bella." Edward replied courteously.

"I guess I'll see you around then." I told him hopefully.

"I guess so." Edward agreed doubtfully which confused me. Did he not want to see me again?

He smiled at me before gathering up his bags which he had unceremoniously dumped on the floor then he walked towards the door. Just as he was framed in the doorway I called after him a little sheepishly and bashfully:

"I really am sorry for thwacking you with my luggage earlier."

He had already left but I thought I heard his laugh ghost through the door back to me. I sighed and was about to turn back to the wonderful view outside my window when I saw that Jasper was still here, sitting down on the ledge of the bay window with his back pressed up against the glass. Yeesh. It was kind of unsettling the way Jasper could just blend into his surroundings and suddenly become invisible.

He smiled at me before asking in a helpful and kind voice "Do you need any help Bella? With anything?"

"No I'm fine. I think I'm just going to admire the view for a while. I've never really seen the sea let alone had a balcony that looks out over one." I told him.

He laughed quietly before saying "Okay. If you need anything don't hesitate to ask. I'll see you around."

"Thanks for the help Jasper." I told him, watching as he left.

I turned back to the window. The sun continued to shine over the campus and on the many students who were loitering around. I saw Edward appear out of the building and begin to amble across the campus. I knew it was him even from up here. The sunlight bounced of his bronze hair, making it visible to me as he walked. I watched him, transfixed.

He was so handsome. The way the sunlight shone on the bronze locks of his hair, the way the ends of some disarrayed bronze tresses flopped untidily onto the beautiful white alabaster skin on the back of his neck, the way in which he walked so confidently across the campus with sure even long strides, the broad width of his shoulders sagging slightly under the weight of his bags, flowing sinuously into the field of those rippling muscles in his back…

"Hello!"

I shrieked and started violently as a high-pitched voice squealed a welcome right into my ear. I had been standing relatively close to the window, having unconsciously leaned in closer whilst gawping at Edward. This caused my knees to make painful contact with the high window ledge which caused my knees to buckle under me so that I collapsed against the window, banging my forehead against the window.

"Ow!" I yelped as I fell back on the ledge against the window and remained there.

"Look what you've gone and done, Alice. You scared her and now she's gone and hurt herself." A voice like wind chimes scolded disapprovingly.

"I didn't mean to." A pouting voice mumbled.

Then I suddenly found a pair of grey eyes boring into my own.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. Are you alright?" The person who was so close to me I could see nothing but their eyes asked me.

"Too close." I murmured.

"Oh sorry." The person with the grey eyes said apologetically before skipping backwards.

I looked up to see a small girl, a girl so small that she looked like a little pixie, her hair was in an array of jet black spikes, she had elfin features which seemed to suit her small face and limbs well, and her eyes were an agate grey. Her lips were turned down in a concerned frown and her forehead was puckered with worry as she asked me in a fretful voice:

"You're not hurt too badly are you?"

I thought about that before pressing the tips of my fingers against my temples. It throbbed. Badly. I winced and the girl's eyes widened.

"Oh my god! You are hurt! I'm so sorry. I was just so excited to see that you were finally here. You didn't notice when I came in because you were too busy staring at Mr. Good looking so I just went to you and I didn't think I would scare you so badly that you'd hurt yourself. Should I get an ice pack or something or take you to the nurse's office…"

"Alice! Give her a chance to breathe!" The voice like wind chimes reproached.

I turned to face the other person in the room only to have my jaw drop. I was staring at the most gorgeous girl ever. She had long, flowing blonde hair that fell to her waist in beautiful golden locks, her features were angelic and perfect, her eyes were an ice blue, she was tall and willowy with a figure to die for, and just being in the same room seemed to tear my own self-esteem to shreds.

"Do you need to go to the nurse's office?" She asked me kindly.

I licked my dry and parched lips before answering "No. I'm fine. Really. I've had lots of bruises before in my life."

The two girls stared appraisingly at me before the pixie-like one said "I'm Alice Brandon. It's so nice to meet you."

"Bella. Bella Swan." I told her.

"I'm Rosalie Hale." The blond bombshell informed me.

"It's nice to meet you both." I told them courteously. "But which one of you is my room mate?"

Rosalie smiled at me before telling me "That would be the crazy one over there."

"Hi!" Alice chirped, waving at me enthusiastically.

I laughed. I couldn't help it. Alice was so energetic and enthusiastic that it was hard not to react to the positive energy that seemed to pulse around her in glowing waves that just oozed out of the happy expression and joyous smile on her face.

"I hope you don't mind the deco in here. I was in this room last year and I haven't had a room mate until now. I decorated it and most people do seem to like it but if you don't like it then we could go shopping and re-decorate together-"

I interrupted Alice's worried gush of words that flowed out of her mouth in fretful torrents. "We don't need to go shopping. I love this room just the way it is." I told her sincerely.

"Really! That's great! Because I love it like it is as well and I wouldn't have liked it much if you wanted to change it." Alice told me in a cheerful and relieved voice.

"Just to warn you. She is extremely perky. Even in the mornings." Rosalie told me apologetically.

Alice scowled at Rosalie before turning to me with a sly smile that made her resemble a cat ready to pounce. "So…who was that you were watching from our window?" She asked curiously, cocking her head to the side so that she now resembled a bird.

Fortunately, I was spared from having to answer this awkward question by the entrance of a mountainous guy into our room. He walked into here, seeming to take up almost the whole room. He was extremely tall, with impossibly broad shoulders, he had muscles that bulged threateningly through his jumper, he had dark curly hair, brown eyes that crinkled at the corners as his lips stretched into a wide smile, causing his dimples to pop out noticeably, which made his intimidating appearance look more gentle.

"Hello, girlfriend, Tinkerbelle, and girl whose name I do not know." He boomed loudly.

"Emmet, you could not have made a grander entrance." Rosalie sighed long-sufferingly as though he were a tiring child she had too large a dose of.

"Hi Emmet!" Alice trilled in a sing-song voice. "Meet my new room mate Bella!"

"Hi Bella! I'm Emmet McCarty." He stuck out a beefy hand and I put mine in it only to feel him shake it with such rigorous enthusiasm that I thought he might pull my arm out of its socket.

"I'm pleased to meet you, Emmet." I told him.

"So guys, I mean ladies, anyone hungry? It's almost lunchtime, you know." Emmet said and a loud rumble emphasised his words which made laugh along with everyone else.

"Alright, let's go get some lunch." Rosalie said.

I was feeling kind of hungry as well which was why I made no objection as I followed the others out of the room. A loud crash suddenly sounded from outside. We all looked at each other, perplexed. Then there was another crash followed by an angry shout.

It seemed instantaneous. None of us needed to say a word as we all hurried out of the room to see what all the commotion was about.

The first thing I saw was a scattering of items on the floor, all spread out in a wild explosion of clothes, CDS, headphones etc. A duffle bag lay not too far away from which the items spilled out of but that was not what held my attention.

What held my attention was the angry scene that I had somehow stumbled upon. Or I suppose I should say stumbled _into_.

And just when I thought I was out of trouble.

**Reviews? Anyone? Please? If I get anything less than 10 reviews for this chapter i shall cease updating until I am satisfied. **


	3. Chapter 3: Trouble

**Chapter Three: Trouble**

He had dark stormy eyes was the first thing I saw. They were the colour of thunderclouds and as his furious glare found me I fidgeted and swung my hair round so that it covered my face, like a protective curtain against the lightning bolts that I could almost feel arcing out of his eyes.

I finally looked up to see that his eyes were focused again on the unconscious figure on the floor. Oh my god. There was an unconscious guy on the floor. Hear that? UNCONSCIOUS. My eyes were inevitably drawn back to the stormy eyed guy.

He had sandy brown hair that was cropped short, his eyebrows were thick over those dark, dangerous eyes, his face was pale and taut with anger, he was intimidating and tall, and he emanated danger. Maybe it was the fact that his hands were balled into shaking fists, maybe it was that he glared so murderously down at the unconscious guy on the floor, or maybe it was that he was handsome in a devilish, avenging death angel kind of way. But whatever it was, I was getting a stay-away-from-him-he's-trouble vibe from him. A very strong one.

There was a huge crowd gathered around the unconscious guy and the stormy eyed guy. There were hushed whispers running through the masses of huddled, watching students. But no one moved. No one stepped forward. No one attempted to calm the angry guy down. No one even moved to help the unconscious guy, though several people were darting anxious glances at him. I think everyone was getting the same vibe off the angry guy as I was. Well, when a guy is staring down at an already unconscious victim like he wants to kill him, then the message is pretty explicit: don't mess with me.

"Jason! I have been searching the entire campus for you!" A reproachful voice exclaimed.

Every human present looked up-well, every conscious human did- to look at the intruder. My heart hiccupped when I saw Edward striding into the hall, wearing an extremely annoyed frown.

"I told you I'd meet you at the dorm, why-" Edward suddenly stopped, appearing to finally have noticed the silent students gathered around him and his apparent friend.

He slowly looked down with stiff shoulders and a face tight with dread, almost as if he knew what to expect but was hoping that he would turn out wrong anyway. He stared at the unconscious guy at his feet and his shoulders sagged. He shook his head and said as if he were bearing a weight greater than that of Atlas "Jason, you need to get back to the dorm."

The other guy didn't move and Edward finally looked up at him again and his expression was…it was something. It was as hard as rock. "You need to go. Now." If his expression was rock, then his voice was something much more than steel. He was giving a command. One that left no room for argument. He was in charge here. That much was clear. He was in control and he was going to control.

The other guy, the angry one, the one with the scary, stormy eyes looked at Edward, the anger not yet gone and for a moment I was afraid for Edward. This guy was not a force to be reckoned with. He made me think of hurricanes, lightning, collapsing buildings. Destruction. And for a moment…just for a moment, when he was staring at Edward with that concentrated fury I was afraid that he might destroy Edward. But then he gave one terse nod, his mouth tight and then turned around and walked down the hallway, down the direction from which Edward had come. He walked away, shoulders and back stiff with lingering anger.

I watched him walk away and I let out a breath of relief. I heard my relief echoed when Edward also let out a breath in a sigh. He, like me, had been watching the other guy walk away and now that he was gone he looked down at the still unconscious guy on the floor, then he looked around at all the witnesses. Everyone was watching him intently, like he was the world cup match on TV.

Edward cleared his throat. "Uh…I'm sorry for whatever happened here. I'll gladly make it up to you all and to start with, I'll make sure myself that this person here will get to the school nurse."

No one moved. No one said anything. Edward looked around again and then continued "My friend, whom you have all just met, has a few problems and issues that he would like to put behind him. He and I both hope to make a fresh start here at Oceanside." When everyone just stared at him, I could see him beginning to get agitated. "My friend, Jason, has a really bad temper and…he gets carried away sometimes." I could see that he was weighing each word he said carefully. "It won't happen again." He promised, quite sincerely.

It was obvious that there was nothing more he could say so he bent down by the unconscious guy and began to check his pulse. He was wearing an expression of focused concentration and he looked like he knew exactly what he was doing. This was probably what finally got everyone to move away. They thought he knew what he was doing. He looked confident and sure of himself and that reassured everyone. It made everyone think that this unconscious student was in responsible hands and that they didn't need to worry. To them, Edward was reassurance. But I recognised him for what he was. Damage control.

He had said whatever he had needed to say to get any witnesses out of here. He had assured them that they could put this behind them and forget about it. He had wanted his friend, Jason, out of here so no one could start playing the blame game. Now he was pretending to check Jason's victim over for any serious injuries as if he knew what he was doing. He was clearing up the mess. I don't know how I knew this but I did.

I felt a tugging and at first I thought it was my excited heart urging me to go and talk to Edward. But then I realised it was just an excited Alice pulling at my sleeve to get my attention.

"Bella!" She whispered so that Edward wouldn't hear us. At least, I think that's why she was whispering. "We need to go!"

I guess I could see why she was so desperate to flee. None of us knew exactly what had happened here, except that it had ended with an unconscious body. Whatever had happened, it was clear that it hadn't been harmless or forgettable. But if we weren't here, then we could forget about it. But strangely enough, I didn't share Alice's and Rosalie's need to escape from this. At the moment, I could only feel the need to go and talk to Edward. I guess I was afraid that he and the angry guy were as thick as thieves and would need to transfer out of the school as an escape from some sinister plot. Or maybe my attraction to him was more pathetic than I thought. I think the latter is more likely.

"You guys go on ahead." I told Alice and Rosalie. "I'll catch up."

"Bella." Rosalie said, looking concerned. "What are you up to?"

I stared at her. "What could possibly make you think that I'm up to anything?"

"Bella, it's your first day at Oceanside. What could you possibly have to do here on your first day other than unpack?" Rosalie enquired shrewdly and worriedly.

"I…want to go find the library and find a book to read." I lied, hoping that it was still too soon for them to pick up on my bad lying skills.

"But you might get lost. I could come with you." Alice offered generously.

I darted a quick glance at Edward to make he was still there. He was but he was starting to stand up. I had to be quick. "No, no! It's fine. I can ask for directions. Don't worry, I'll be fine."

They looked doubtful but they seemed to take my word for it and thankfully left.

"Do you want me to go run for the school nurse?" I quickly blurted out in a desperate attempt to stop him from leaving.

He went still. He slowly turned his head to look at me. I had expected the stiff set of his shoulders to relax when he saw it was me, relieved to see a familiar face rather than a returned witness. But I was disappointed. The tension did not leave him and there was no change in his expression and for a moment I was scared that he didn't recognise me and that hurt more than anything. The thought that he could forget me within one afternoon. But then his expression did change, the tension did not fade at all but there was a flicker of recognition that set my panicking heart at ease.

"Bella, this isn't exactly a good time." He said, sounding extremely stressed.

"I can see that. That's why I'm asking if you want me to get the nurse for you." I told him, feeling awkward as his hard face remained unmoving.

But then as I watched, I saw his lips twitch with the beginnings of a smile. "But you don't know your way around yet."

I smiled tentatively at him. "It's called embarking on an adventure, Edward."

He laughed and I felt relieved that the tension had finally left him.

"An adventure you might not come back from." He told me when he had stopped laughing. "I don't want you to get lost."

"But if you went looking for the nurse, then you would get lost too." I told him.

He smiled ruefully. "I know. I was trying to think of a way around that but I couldn't so I guess that's just a risk I'll have to take."

"Yeah but you might end up wandering around the school for hours and hours and while you're doing that a lot of other people will come down here and see your friend's victim, and that's not good for damage control."

Edward's smile vanished. "My friend's victim? Damage control? What do you mean?" Edward's voice was threaded with a string of danger and his face was thunderous. I felt frightened but I tried not to show it. Unfortunately, I had unconsciously taken a step back and Edward had evidently noticed for his face immediately softened and he lowered his voice as he said gently "I think you've misunderstood the situation here, Bella."

I guess I should tell you all now. I'm a stubborn creature and when I'm convinced I'm right, then… I'm right. I could see that Edward was trying to talk me out of seeing the truth and I refused to give in. But resistance was becoming increasingly harder with those emerald eyes staring down at me so beseechingly. "I haven't misunderstood anything. Here's what I know: your friend is not someone whose bad side I'd like to get on and you are trying to cover up this whole incident."

"Bella-" He began but I cut him off.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to make things difficult for you. In fact, I'd like to help you. If you'd let me." I told him.

He seemed surprised but he quickly hid it as he replied politely "That's very kind of you, Bella. But I don't think it's necessary."

I was just about to respond when a loud groan drew our gazes downwards. The unconscious guy was starting to stir. Fast as lightning, Edward swiftly knelt down beside him.

"Are you okay?" Edward demanded, more like he was conducting an interrogation than as if he was actually concerned.

The guy tried to sit up but then he groaned and flopped back down to the floor like an uprooted fish. I felt sorry for him. He looked quite pathetic. There was a huge bump on his head and all his stuff was still scattered about everywhere. I decided to help him out and began to hurry about the place, picking up various items.

"What's your name?" I heard Edward ask in that sharp, intrusive voice. Another groan was the only reply he got.

Edward fired another question at him. "What happened?"

Yet another groan. I rolled my eyes, picking up something as I did. I hastily dropped it when I saw it was some underwear. I wiped my hand on my jeans and walked back to Edward and the guy. Edward was staring at him intensely as if he thought he could stare the answers to his questions out of the guy.

I crouched next to the guy. "Do you need us to take you to the nurse?"

"I'll do it. You can go back to your room, Bella." Edward said quickly.

I looked at him sharply. "You're just trying to get rid of me."

"I don't need your help." He told me, not denying it.

"Aspirin. I need aspirin." The previously unconscious guy moaned before I could say anything.

"I'll get you some." I assured him.

"No I'll do it." Edward snapped.

I glared at him. "I'm only trying to help."

"I don't need your help." He said again from between gritted teeth.

Edward's friend's victim suddenly got up and ignoring us both began to walk down the hall, away from us, clutching his head whilst moaning "Aspirin" over and over again.

"Well, not anymore you don't." I say to Edward.

"I never needed it." Edward stated rudely, standing up.

"Where is all this hostility coming from?" I demanded. "I don't see how I deserve any of it. All I've ever done is tried to help you."

Edward closed his eyes and then opened them and sighed as he ran his hand through his bronze hair, mussing it up further. "You're right. I'm being a real bastard. I'm really sorry, Bella. You're a nice girl and I shouldn't have treated you so badly. I'm just stressed because it's only my first day here and already I have to deal with Jason's mess-ups."

"You make it sound like you have to deal with these kinds of things all the time." I observed.

"Let's just say that Jason has a certain talent for getting into trouble." Edward said evasively.

"Okay, but why do you have to be the one to get him out of trouble?" I queried.

There was a long pause before he finally answered "Because he's my friend."

"Okay. But why can't he get himself out of trouble? Or better yet, stay out of it?" I asked.

Edward looked uncomfortable and he seemed to be searching for words but then he sighed and replied "It's complicated."

"Well, isn't there a way to simplify it?" I pressed, refusing to let the subject drop.

He smiled that crooked smile that always put me in a daze where I couldn't say or do anything but stare at him. "It isn't an algebra problem, Bella. Life isn't that simple."

"Says you." I huffed.

He grinned. "Yes. Says me."

We stood silently for a moment, just staring at one another. The hall was completely empty apart from us and personally, I liked it that way. It was both a joy and a thrill ride to be alone with Edward. My heart was beating faster than a hummingbird's wings beat the air and I was feeling light headed as if I might faint at any minute but in a good way, if that's even possible.

"Well, I should get going now." Edward told me.

"Well, bye then." I said, trying to hide my disappointment.

But he must have heard it anyway because he smiled gently and told me "I'm sure we'll run into each other again."

"Yeah." I agreed in a downcast voice as I looked down at my shoes so as to avoid looking at those sparkling green pools he calls eyes, no longer caring if he heard in my voice how the prospect of not seeing him again blocked out all the colour in my mood so that I was feeling a black void where my heart was as heavy as a stone.

"But in case we don't" He said "Can I have your number?"

My head popped up at that and I stared at him with wide eyes. "What?"

"Can I have your number?" He asked again, smiling.

"But- I-you…" I spluttered, trying to get my head around the fact that he was asking _me _for _my number_ as if he actually wanted to hear my voice and talk to me again.

"Well, until you remember how to use speech again…" He took out a pen from his jeans pocket and then gently took my hand. My heart practically exploded at his warm touch and electricity sparked all over my body. I wasn't even aware of what he was doing with my hand. I was just too engrossed in the sensations I felt at his touch. I was staring at the side of his face as he bent over my hand. I could see a tiny, almost minuscule thin white scar on his jaw as if he had been nicked by a knife. Weirdly enough, this little imperfection only seemed to add to his magnetic beauty.

"There. My number." He released my hand and I saw that he had scrawled his number on my hand in black ink. "Call whenever you want." He told me with a wink, almost like he was flirting with me.

I felt my cheeks warm and I looked down at my feet again.

I heard rather than saw him laugh. "I was wondering when I would get to see that blush of yours again."

I mumbled something incoherently.

"Well, like I said, call whenever you remeber how to use speech again." Edward told me as he began to walk down the hall away from me.

"Wait! I thought you said I could call you whenever I want." I called after him.

The only response I got was a musical laugh that sent my heart soaring. I watched his departing back, until I could no longer see him. And even then the euphoric joy that I had felt upon receiving his number didn't fade. At that moment, I was certain that I had found everlasting happiness in Edward Cullen and that things could only go uphill from there. But as with everything else, I turned out wrong.

**I have just one word: REVIEW. Please? Okay, maybe that was two words. I'M HUMAN. I MAKE MISTAKES. And besides, I never said I was a maths whiz. **


End file.
